The number of incidents recorded in the Glasgow area more than doubled on Sunday - compared to a normal weekend - in the wake of the Rangers-Celtic match at Ibrox.

Officers recorded 142 cases of domestic abuse, compared to an average of 67 on a football-free Sunday and an average of 107 in previous Old Firm contests since 2004.

Strathclyde Police warned before the game that supporters responsible for violence in the home would be “robustly” dealt with.

A spokesman added: “These are not just a set of statistics about crime in the west of Scotland on an Old Firm weekend. Behind every one of the numbers is a victim, a family and a community blighted by the violence that, sadly, is still attaching itself to this fixture.

“This was exactly why we called for the formation of the Joint Action Group back in March. It wasn’t because of the behaviour of the players on the pitch or the managers on the touchline.

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“It was because we felt that something had to be done to tackle the unacceptable levels of violence that, unfortunately, we have seen again this weekend."

The Joint Action Group, involving clubs, the football authorities, police and politicians, was set up in the wake of serious disorder, including sectarian incidents, surrounding Old Firm games last season.

A spokesman added that it was not clear whether the figures represented a rise in the incidence of abuse, or an increased willingness among victims to come forward.

The contest, which Rangers won 4-2, had otherwise passed without serious incident. A total of 20 arrests were made at the ground, including five for alleged sectarian incidents, while 18 assaults were reported on Sunday, compared to an average on Old Firm Sundays of 23.

Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan earlier praised the majority of supporters at the match for not engaging in sectarian singing.

Mhairi McGowan, from ASSIST Glasgow, the advocacy and support service for victims of domestic abuse, said it received a record 53 referrals from the police on Monday.

She added: “I am quite shocked at the level of the increase because the police have been doing pro-active work on this for over a year.

“We have had 53 referrals this morning which is a record for us and more than double the normal figure for a Monday.

“On a more positive note it may be that because of the publicity surrounding the link between domestic abuse and football that more people have felt able to report an incident.”